Threshold-protector.



C. F. McNALL.

THRESHOLD PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1916.

1,1 833%. Patented May16, 1916.

PA ilfldillil ll CHAR-LES F MQNALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

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Application filed January 8, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. MGNALL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Threshold-Protectors; and I do hereby de clare that the following description of my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawing, forms a full, clear, and exact specification, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. a

My invention relates generally, to improvements in a threshold protector and it consists, essentially, in the novel andpeculiar combination of parts and details of construction, as hereinafter first fully set forth and described and then pointed out in the claim.

It is the intent ofmy invention to provide means preventative of a blast of wind, or wind borne snow or rain from entering into a room or the like between the lower edge of a door and the threshold therefor.

Myinvention, therefore, includes a sheet a metallic strip, located near the lower edge and transversely of a door, which strip is possessed at its lower edge of a hollow, continuous bead extending substantially the entire width of the door; and, coacting with this strip, there is a substantially like strip possessed of a similar bead along its upper edge, which latter bead is constructed to partially embrace the first named bead, so that articulated action between the strips is provided for; and, it is to be understood that the last named strip engages the threshold of the door frame when the door is closed, for obvious reasons.

In the sheet of drawings already referred to, which serve to disclose my invention more fully, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a door and door frame embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a section on an enlarged scale in line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Like parts are indicated by corresponding characters or symbols of reference in all the figures of the drawing.

In the drawing, A designates the door frame of usual construction, B, the door hinged therein, and C the threshold for said door frame; all arranged in the manner generally prescribed.

Near the lower edge of the door B 1s fixed Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May is, rare.

Serial No. 70,939.

by means of screws 10, a sheet metallic strip 11, which strip is of a length as that of the width of the door B, and said strip is rebent horizontally to provide two depending members 12 and 13. Ihe latter member 13 is disposed in close facial contact with the face of the door B, but the member 12 is slightly and arcuately bent in an outward direction, as seen in Fig. 2. At the lower longitudinal edge of this member 12, is formed a circular, open bead 14, for the full length of the said member, and this bead is formed on the inner or under side thereof, so that the periphery of the said bead will normally be tangent to the outer face of the member 12. And if it be desired to create pressure between these members 12 and 13, all that is necessary is to screw up on the screws 10.

Embracing the bead l i already referred to and telescoping thereon, there is a similar bead 15, formed on the upper, longitudinal edge of a strip 16, the lower edge of which strip engages the threshold C of the door frame, under the action of a bracket 17, located in proper position on one of the jambs of the door frame, the said bracket 17 engaging the strip 16 only when said door is being closed, and thereby enforcing positive engagement of the strip 16 with the threshold 0 and preventing drafts at the lower edge of the door.

The bead 15 of the strip 16 is normally in contact with the strip 13; and when the screws 10 are tightened, a definite resistance to the articulation of the strip 16 is set up. The amount of this friction may be varied by the degree of tightening the screws, and is sufficient to definitely overcome the weight of the strip 16, so that it will remain in placed position.

It will be observed that the lower edge of the strip 16, is doubled upon itself, so as to present a nicely rounded lower edge, thereby eliminating any tendency of the same to mar, or to dig into, the top surface of the threshold when the door is being opened or closed. And being thus retained in placed position, there will be no tendency whatever for the said lower edge of the strip to drop behind the threshold upon the door being fully opened. When the door is being closed, the strip, by reason of its rounded edge, will slide freely along the top surface thereof until the bracket 17 is reached, when an enforced depression of said strip into contact with the front edge of the threshold will take place.

Attention is now directed to the fact that my protector proper comprises but two metallic plates formed with beads and bent to shape, the beads being simply telescoped into each other. No skilled labor is required in its construction, and its cheapness of manufacture is apparent. And I wish to emphasize the fact that I require no springs, or levers of any kind to maintain the strip away from the floor of a room when the door is open and the said strip out of contact with the threshold. The establishment of frictional contact between the bead l5, and the strip 13, eliminates entirely the need of such appurtenances as springs, levers and the like, and greatly simplifies my invention.

I have hereinbefore disclosed the preferred mode of practising my invention, but I reserve the right to make such and any changes as might occur to one skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, or to make any and all such alterations as may be permitted under the doctrine of equivalents.

Having thus fully described my invention I claim as new, and desire to secure to myself by Letters Patent of the United States A threshold protector, including a door, a threshold, and a door strip, said door strip comprising a sheet metallic plate extending the full width of the door, said plate being bent back and doubled upon itself, said bent portion being plane, and facing said door, the other portion of said plate being outwardly curved and provided along its lower edge with a tubular longitudinally slotted bead the entire length of said plate, said bead being disposed adjacent said bent plate, a floor strip, consisting of a sheet metallic plate the entire width of said door and constructed to contact the outer edge of said threshold, said plate having a slotted tubular bead along its upper edge the entire length of said plate, said bead being constructed to telescope over the bead on said door strip the entire length thereof and to maintain facial contact against the bent portion of said door strip, said door strip having its lower edge doubled back upon itself and constructed to slide upon the top surface of said threshold, an inclined bracket on the door frame, said bracket being constructed to engage said door strip and enforce its depression against said threshold upon the closing of said door, and screws passing through said door strip into said door and adapted to create pressure of contact between the bead of the floor strip and the bent portion of said door strip, whereby said floor strip is maintained in placed position,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES F. MoNALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

